We are not a big community theatre, but we put on great plays and we have them professionally recorded so that we (the actors) have a copy. We do not sell them. Our theatre pays for the taping (expensive) and puts one copy in our library, the rest we actors buy for us and for our families who live far away. And we don't feel guilty about it.

We do not copy scripts though.

I have sat on the bench of the court, as a Justice. Listening to excuses in response to a summons for this type of copyright breach.
I agree with DMB it is not a nice sight watching a defendant squirm & respond, to why they should not be charge with the breach. I assure you no matter how original or plausible your excuse is, the Magistrates hands are tied & has to rule in favour of the plaintiff.
I?m sure most copyright agents could give you a vast list of excuses that have failed miserably in litigation.
You could be lucky, but I?d suggest you to save money & just pay the fine.
As you have two chances [?None & Buckley?s?] & yours isn?t one of them!

Thanks Nanette - this is a hot post! I am looking over my shoulder just writing my reply! From the results of the poll, I would say that more of us do than don't.

The contracts we sign are specific. NO videotaping, NO copying of music or scripts, some won't even allow flash photography.  They even tell you how big to print the writers name (no less than 50%)under the title. I personally think that they just want to make sure you have paid the royalties for all your shows, and in the correct amount based on number of expected patrons. Personally, I think those figures should wait for (and your royalties should be based on) post show actual figures.  Then maybe they would get more money, and not care so much about our little "just for the memory of it" show videos. 

Another big gripe of mine is the NO copying statement.  When have you EVER received enough scripts for the ensemble in any large musical? If you want them to learn the songs, you have to make copies. Duh! What about the stage manager(s) and tech booth.  What do they write all there messy cues in?  A real script?  I don't think so, but who's script can they use? It has to be a copied script, hopefully in bigger print to be able to see in the minimal lighting.

A CT about 45 minutes away from me did get caught taping. They were only reprimanded. They received a slap on the wrist. No fines. I believe they had advertised making copies on their web site. Needless to say, they don't...........advertise it anymore.  Does anyone know of a CT who actually got caught and fined. If so, what was the cost?

Don't get me wrong. I fill in my contract honestly. I pay for all my shows, I base my numbers on actual seats sold the same type show (same time) the year before. I am a BIG rule follower. I don't speed. I don't smoke. I don't lie. Well, not often anyway, but I do like a copy of my shows.   Life is too short not to savor, and re-live, the good memories we have. BTW I have been in a few shows that I didn't care to remember or relive - LOL - no tape!

 

Actually, 2 of the theatres I work with in my area have been "turned in" for taping performance.  While I was on the board of directors during one of the instances it was a written letter asking us to destroy any tapes and reminding us of the copyright laws.  The biggest issue the royalty house made (I believe it was Tams Witmark) was that they were told the tapes were being sold.  None of the theatres encourage taping shows, but it is widely practiced and now if a show is recorded there is never any money that changes hands.  Just possibly replacement tapes.  I don't think that would save us if we were fined, but still a little better.  The other theatre supposedly got fined, but I'm not sure if that is true or just a cautionary tale to directors trying to discourage the practice.  Of course the question on everyone's minds was "how would they find out?"  Turns out we had an informant in our mutal circle of theatre folk who would turn in the community theatres when she was mad at them for not giving her shows, etc (she's quite psycho).  She was also the one who turned in the theatres for "fire code" violations (ie., too many extension cords).  The fire marshall shut down a show I was directing on OPENING NIGHT because a "concerned patron called with concerns".  We found out it was her because she had 2 teenage kids who obviously couldn't keep the family secrets to themselves!

I guess I'm lucky...I found a professional videographer that doesn't charge us a dime.He tapes the show during our final Tech rehearsal, then does close ups on our first night.Mixes the two together and only charges for the cost of the CD. It's our way of having memoriabilia and his way of getting profit business of weddings and company promo video by the quality of his work.